stephan



(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 1,

r. STEPHAN. MACHINE POR CUTTING BBET ROOTS.

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(No Model.) 5 SheetS-Sheet 2.

` E'. STEPHAN.

MACHINE F08 GUTTING BERT 8.00128.

No. 483,338*l Patented Jan. 3, 1893.

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F. STEPHAN.

MACHINE FOR CUTTING BEET ROOTS.

No. 489,338. Patented Jan. 3, 1893.

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`(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 4.

F. STEPHAN. MACHINE Ton CUTTING BERT ROOTS.

Patented Jan. 3, 1893.

(No Model.) l 5 sheets-:sheefI 5. F. STEPHAN.

l MACHINE FOR CUTTING BBET ROOTS. N'o.- 489,338. Patented Jan. 3, 1893.

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UNrrEn STATES Arent einen.

FRANZ STEPHAN, OF VVERCHNIATSCI-IKA, RUSSIA.

MACHINE FOR CUTTING BEET-ROOTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 489,338, dated January 3, 1893.

Application tiled November 30, 1891. Serial No. 413,622. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANZ STEPHAN, of VVerchniatschka, in the Empire of Russia, have invented a new and useful Machine for Cutting Beet-Roots, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to a machine for cutting beetroots, comprising one or more automatic root pressers or feeders, which are set in motion by any suitable power, for example, by a column of liquid or by air pressure.

The invention is illustrated in the annexed drawings and described in the following explanationz- Figure I is a sectional elevation of an apparatus provided with the improvements, according to this invention, and in which the root presser is set in operation by means of a column of liquid, acting on Weighted levers, which serve to press forward the supply of roots to the cutting cylinder. Fig. II is a sectional plan of the apparatus taken at the line :1c- Fig. I. Fig. III is a sectional side elevation to a larger scale of the apparatus, taken at the line y y Fig. I, and Fig. IV is a section taken at C D Fig. l. Fig. V is a sectional elevation of a modification of the apparatus, taken through the root cutting devices and showing the modes of action of the column of liquid. Fig. VI is a sectional plan of the apparatus, taken at the line z e', Fig. V.

With reference to the drawings it Will be seen that the cutting drum is fixed and held on the axis or spindle d by a collar a', the periphery of the drum being provided with incisions. The knife cases b with theirknives are placed in these incisions from above. The cutting-drum runs in the casing u. The adjustable counter knives are marked e', these prevent the uncut portions of the roots from getting between the drum and the casing. Above the drum there is placed the support d of the case u and the bearing of the drum spindle. a. On the spindle a below the drum there is fixed a bevel wheel e, and the lower end of the spindle a runs in the bearing f on the base plate f', on which the bearing blocks f2, f3 for the driving shaft f4 are placed. The driving shaft is provided, with the bevel pinion e', which gears with and works the bevel wheel e, and with the fast and loose driving belt pulleys f5 and f6. On the base plate f are provided the columns g which support the upper part of the apparatus.

The root feeding devices are all placed at the same height as the cutting-drum and each consists of a holder h into which the roots drop from a hopper h. In the holder h there works the presser h2. In the arrangement shown in Fig. I the presser h2 is connected by the rod h3 With the bell crank lever h4 the rod h5 and the piston h7 of the cylinder h6, the shaft m of the lever h4 is continued out on both sides and is provided with arms 77.8 serving as Weights. The actuating fluid enters the cylinder h through the pipe r and exhausts through the pipe s, the cockt' is placed on the cylinder hG between the pipes r and s and is opened and closed b v the lever vl', which is turned by the lever 3 and the rod t4. The piston hl is provided with a projection 5 and the cylinder h6 carries on the bracket t6, a rocking lever k2, acted on by a spring la, having a catch 7c3, against which the lever t3 with its projection t7 lies a projection 104 extends upward from the lever k2. The lever i3 is acted upon by a spiral spring 705 iixed to the bracket 116. The lever i3 is also provided with a pin 8 for the lever k2.

The bottom of the root holder h is arranged as a drop down door which can be 'made fast bymeans of the bolt 0L.

The mode of action of the root cutting machine is as follows: When not at work the root pressers h2 lie against the cutting-drum and thereby close the outlets for the roots from the hoppers h. After the root hopper h has been iilled with roots the liquid supply pipe o is opened, whereupon the liquid passes through the cock t' into the cylinder 71.G and raises the piston and thereby through the lever h4 draws out the root pressers h2 and the weighted arms h8 are raised. The presser h2 being thus drawn out from the cutting-drum the roots fall from the hopper h into the holder h and between the cutting-drum and the presser h2. The return stroke of the presser h2 is caused by the Weighted arms hs, the cock t' being reversed by the piston 71,7/ through the projection raising the lever t so that its catch 'i7 engages with the catch k* of the lever k2. The raising of the lever IOO causes by means of the connecting rod t the turning of the cock t', so that the supply is shut off from the pipe rand the exhaust pipe s is opened. Now the weighted arms hs cause the lever h4 to have a return stroke and thereby the presser h2 presses upon the roots in the holder 7L and forces them against the knives onthe cutting-drum. The cuttingdrum which receives motion from the bevel gear e e cuts the roots which are pressed against it to pieces and they leave the drum in the direction shown by the arrow. When the roots lying between the presser h2 and the cutting-drum are cut to pieces and the root presser h2 almost touches the drum the lever k2 which is in connection with the presser detaches itself from the lever i3 which acted upon by the spring k is brought down thus opening, the iiuid supply cock t', so that the liquid under pressure again enters the cylinder h, and the process just described is repeated.

Should by chance any object detrimental to the knives get between the cutting-drum and the roots it can be got rid of by raising the lever 113 from the lever 7a2 and reversing the cock and drawing back the root presser. To prevent the root pressure remainingin an open position the fluid outlet s is closed. The dooro is opened and the contents of the holder 7L emptied out.

A modification of the apparatus is shown Ain Figs. 5 and 6: In this case the forward movement of the presser h2 is done by means of a column of liquid from the pipes Z. The driving cylinder 71.6 is arranged in line With the presser h2, the piston rod hbeing directly connected to the presser h2. The pressure can be regulated by increasing or reducing the quantity of water in the pipes Z, the supply from which to the cylinders h6 is regulated either by a cock as shown at the right hand side of Figs. 4 and 5 or by a slide valve as shown at the left hand side of Figs. 4 and 5 and in Fig. 3.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A root cutting apparatus comprising a rotating cutting-drum, root hoppers h', root holders 71, surrounding said cutting drum and pressers h2 adapted to press and feed the roots against the knives of the cutting-dm m as set forth.

2. A root cutting apparatus comprising a rotating cutting drum, root hoppers, root holders, and root pressers or feeders as set forth, and an operating cylinder to Work the root presser, the piston of which operates said root presser by means of a rocking bellcrank lever in such a manner that after the feeding stroke the root presser is drawn away from the cutting-drum to permit of a fresh supply of roots, the forward or feeding stroke of the root presser being produced by weighted levers or their equivalent.

3. In a beet-cutting machine the combination with the cylinder 71.6, its piston L7 provided with the projection t5, and the fluid supply and exhaust pipes, of the cock i and its lever i', the lever i3, the rod i connecting said levers, whereby, when the piston reaches the end of its stroke the iiuid supply is cut oil and the exhaust opened.

4. In a beet-cutting machine the combination with the cylinder h6, its piston k7 provided with the projection i5, and the fluid supply and exhaust pipes, of the cock fi and its lever il', the lever 3, the rod 114 connecting said levers, and the spring catch 7a2, whereby when the piston reaches the end of its stroke the liuid supply is cut off, the exhaust opened, and the cock locked in position.

5. In a beet-cutting machine, the combination of the cutting -drum, the beet holding chambers at the sides thereof, the reciprocating plungers in said chambers, for feeding the beets forward, and a fluid-pressure apparatus for operating said plungers.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two witnesses.

FRANZ STEPHAN.

Witnesses:

ADOLPHE FISCHER, TH. WALDAPFEL. 

